As soon as Baret collapsed, Kael felt exhaustion washed over his body, threatening to drag him down. But with sheer will, he forced himself to stand tall and unyielding. His sharp gaze swept across the gathering grounds, taking in the chaos he had created.
He had made a mess and a big one.
Now,he needed to leave before anyone got bold enough to challenge him.
He might actually be fucked this time.
Kael took a slow step forward, his presence commanding attention as he eyed everyone like a predator sizing up prey. His voice, laced with venom, cut through the silence.
"Before you behave rudely, know your position."
"It doesn't matter whether I am trash, weak, or useless."
"Rather, what matters is that I am Kael Veydrin, the one and only son of the Grand Duke and the future bearer of the Lion Flag."
He paused with his smirk twisting into something cruel. Then, with deliberate malice, he slammed his foot down onto Baret's face. The sickening crunch was followed by a sinister pulse of energy as he activated Devour.
A suffocating murderous intent erupted from him like a storm, swallowing the air in a suffocating crimson haze.
For a brief moment, the world itself seemed to tremble. The bloodlust was so thick it felt tangible, like unseen hands tightening around every throat in the vicinity. The knights stiffened, their bodies drenched in cold sweat, as a pair of monstrous eyes materialized in the air. The gaze alone made their souls shudder, whispering an unspoken threat.
Then, Kael's voice, low and seething, tore through their fear.
"Knights who grovel by licking feet and sell your pride..."
"Know your place, because next time, I won't hesitate to rip your heads into shreds with my own hands." His grin stretched unnaturally wide, teeth bared in a sickening display of madness. "Even the Grand Duke won't crawl out to save your sorry asses."
His voice dipped into a growl, dark amusement flickering in his eyes.
The final words exploded like a war cry, echoing in their ears like a death sentence.
Then, with unnatural speed, Kael walked away, disappearing from everyone's vision.
The moment he was gone, the knights crumbled one by one as their bodies gave out from the sheer pressure he had unleashed.
They stared at the battlefield, at the sic unconscious bodies lying broken and bloodied in the dirt. Their gazes locked onto Baret—an E-rank knight, humiliated and crushed by an unawakened.
It wasn't just a defeat.
And soon, the entire world would know.
Adel's furious scream tore through the air as she slammed her fist down.
The entire table exploded into splinters, sending shards of wood flying like shrapnel. A powerful gust erupted from her body, laced with a violent purple glow, whipping through the room with enough force to make the walls tremble. Curtains flapped wildly, papers scattered, and even the chandelier overhead swayed ominously.
Her chest heaved, teeth clenched so tightly they might crack. Her nails dug into her palm, drawing blood as she cursed under her breath, seething.
"How the hell did this happen?" she spat, voice dripping with venom.
Her fingers twitched with barely contained rage as she replayed the humiliating disaster in her mind.
"That stupid idiot couldn't even defeat an unawakened weakling who hasn't even held his sword properly!" she hissed, her voice rising.
"Useless… Useless… First, Regalina, and now this fucking Baret. Each one of them is completely, utterly worthless!"
Her breathing came in ragged gasps as she screamed.
"Dogs who just eat without barking!" Adele screamed, her voice shrill with unfiltered disgust.
She wanted to crush something.If possible, she wanted to send an executioner right this second to butcher that pathetic brother of hers.
She knew what he was planning. So she had been smart enough to clear the field of any high-ranking knights, leaving only the fresh recruits behind. He wanted them to mess with Kael, beat him down, put him in his place, humiliate him before he could even think of standing tall.
Instead, he was the one standing victorious, and Baret was the one groveling in the dirt like a joke.
Her nails raked against the armrest of her chair, barely restraining herself from destroying something else.
Then, a soft tsk broke the silence.
Her ever-calm, ever-poised nanny nudged her monocle up, exhaling slowly, her sharp eyes glinting with something dangerous.
"It was a great move," Mariana said smoothly, her voice as sharp as a blade.
Adele snapped her gaze toward her, annoyance flashing in her expression.
Mariana, unfazed, continued. "He purposely redirected the insult aimed at him toward the name of Veydrin, shifting all the blame onto others. Because of that, even if he orders them to be executed, the Grand Duke won't bat an eye."
She paused, letting her words sink in, watching Adele's expression twist in frustration.
"Because for him, honor is everything," Mariana finished, her voice carrying a knowing edge. "Servants who don't know when to keep their mouths shut are as good as dead."
Adele gritted her teeth but said nothing.
Mariana took a step closer, her presence suffocating despite her composed demeanor. "Miss, at times , you must control yourself. Losing your patience will only make things worse."
Adele inhaled sharply, forcing herself to calm down. She dropped onto the plush sofa, crossing her legs, her manicured fingers tapping against the cushion.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment, thinking.
There was something different. The Kael she had known—weak, powerless, a disgrace—shouldn't have been able to pull this off.
"With the way things are going, I'm sure something has changed," Adele murmured, opening her eyes, her gaze cold. "He might have found the cure for his mana blockade."
Mariana's lips curled slightly, the ghost of a smile forming. "Yes, that would explain it. He must have found a cure. That would make sense… it would explain his sudden confidence, why he dares to make waves and sway hearts in his favor.But we can't reject the premise that it might also be someone else."
Adele's fingers twitched before she clenched them into a fist. Then, her voice dropped, laced with ice.
"He can't live long."
Mariana arched a brow, listening.
"I don't want to kill him, but Veydrin should belong to me, not that useless fool," Adele continued, her voice dripping with entitlement. "While he has been nothing but a disgrace, I have kept the glory of Veydrin alive. So tell me… what right does he have to sit on my throne?"
A slow, sinister chuckle escaped Mariana's lips. She took another step forward, reaching out with a gloved hand, gently caressing Adele's cheek with a twisted sort of affection.
"Yes, Miss," Mariana murmured, her voice almost motherly yet laced with poison. "You are the only one worthy of ruling Veydrin."
Her fingers lingered for a moment before she stepped back, her monocle catching the dim light. A dangerous glimmer flickered in her eye.
"And you needn't worry," she added, voice soothing yet deadly. "Because nothing will stand in your way."
Adele smirked, satisfaction gleaming in her gaze.
Nothing would block her path.